Illuminated advertising device



Nov. 8, 1938. F, CARGlLL 2,135,484

'ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Dec. 13, 1937 2 Sheets$heet l INVENTOR Q I 131. 4

ATTRNEY NOV. 8, 1938. F J c L 2,135,484

ILLUMINATED ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Dec. 15, 1957 z-sneets-sneez 2 lllllllllll l lllllllll I H 1 nm 40 shaft made of fiber or Bakelite.

Patented Nov. 8, 1938 ILLUMINATED PATENT OFFICE ADVERTISING Device Frank J. Cargill, Minneapolis, Minn. Application December 13, 1937 Serial No. 179,525

Claims.

This invention relates to signs or advertising structures and is more particularly directed to signs in which all or partof the characters move. The principal object is to provide signs that will :5 capture the attention ,of persons coming into its vicinity.

Another object of the invention resides in the ro isio of a s g of e s n rwh r the operating connection between the moveable charac e s o h i n and th means f moviner t characters is such that vibration of the characters while moving is reduced :toa minimum.

A further object is to provide a sign of ,simple construction, involvinga minimum of parts which should require very little attention for their opt n With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention onsists of the -.novel construction, combination and arrangement-of parts herein- 29, after more specifically described and illustrated. In the accompanying .drawings wherein is shown embodiments of the invention it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view of one unit of a sign,

Figure 2 is a view of the shaft for supporting the unit of the sign and means for moving the shaft,

Figure 3 is a View of the letter I showing how the letter moves,

Figure 4 is a view with part broken away of modified form of a moveable unit shown in Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a view of a modified form of the shaft for supporting characters,

Figure 6 is an end view of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, It) is a Conductor I2 extends through the hollow shaft I0 and the conductors are generally provided with securing end means I3. To prevent any contact between the conductors II and to assist in securing the shaft I0, to the end members I4 and I9, member II is extended through the shaft Ill.

The end member I4 is secured to shaft l0 and is fastened to member II by any suitable means such as set screw I5. Secured to the outer ends 50 of member I4 are terminal connectors It, to which are secured conductors I2 and conductors I8. The conductors I8 are secured to the next character or letter to be moved or to a suitable source of power. Secured to terminal members I6 are members I! which can be adjusted to control the gap between the ends of H. Should, for any reason, the current flowing through conductors I2 be obstructed the current will bridge the gap between the ends of members I! as it will be the path of least resistance.

Secured to one end of shaft It] is member 59 which is similar in construction to member I4. Terminal posts 20 have secured thereto conductors 2| which in turn are connected to contact members 26 by suitable means 21.

The shaft i=0 issecured to the moveable letter or character 24 by means of plate 23 and pin 22. The plate 23 can be secured to the letter or character by any suitable means such as screws I 25. The letters or characters 24 extend backward from the face as at 28 to form a housing of suflicient depth to house the members connected to the front end of shaft II].

The illuminating means shown at 29 is in the form of neon lights which are supported by members 30. These supports aresecured to the face of letters or characters 24 by suitable screws or the like 3|.

A bearing support member 32 having bearings 33 and 34 positioned near the upper end thereof. A member 35 is secured around the shaft I0 and between bearings 33 and 34. One end of the member 35 extends outward from the shaft encircling part and has the outer or free end 36 bent or made so as to be at substantially right angle to the lower portion member 35. The upper or outer end of member 35 is in a plane substantially parallel to the letters or characters 24. The end 35 is provided with an opening 31 which is adapted to be connected directly or indirectly to a motion imparting means (not shown). The member 35 is secured to the shaft at substantially the center of gravity of the shaft and the character or letter.

In Figure 3 is shown by the full and dotted lines the extent to which the letters or characters move. This movement is obtained by having the shaft I0 secured to about the middle of the letter or character.

In Figure 4 is shown a modified form of the invention and consists of a hollow shaft 40 supported by bearing members 4|. Secured to one end of shaft 40 and mounted on the shaft near the other end are members 42 which are secured nect directly or indirectly to a source of electrical energy.

The shaft is secured to the letter through means of plate 48 and pin 41. The plate 48 is rigidly secured to the letter or. character by means of screw 49. Supported by plate 48 is a transformer 50 and this arrangement permits of the normal low current to flow through the shaft 40. One side of the transformer is connected through conductor 5| to contact member 52. The illuminating means 53 is secured to the contact member 52.

Secured to shaft 40 is motion imparting member 54 which is secured in place by nut 55. The

upper end 56 of member 54 is substantially parallel with the face of the letter or character.

In Figure 5 is shown a modified form of the shaft through which motion is imparted to letters or characters. In this form of the invention 64 represents a metallic casing adapted to be slipped over a fiber or Bakelite shaft 51. The shaft 51 is substantially solid and has extending therethrough conductors 58. The shaft 51 has a section 59 extending from one end Which separates spark gap means 60. The functions of means 50 are the same as members I! shown in Figure 1. Members 60 and conductors 58 are secured to terminal post 62 and conductors 613 are also carried by post 52.

The forward end of shaft 51 is provided with arms 66 which carry conductor securing means 61. To means 61 is secured conductor 68 which carries electrical current for illuminating moveable characters. The metal casing 64 has secured to one end thereof plate 69 by means of key 10.

The invention here shown is an improvement upon applications filed by Frank Cargill, Serial No. 153,029, filed July 10, 1937, and William Rydberg, Serial No. 156,711, filed August 12, 1937, t

0 for advertising devices.

What I claim is:

1. In an advertising device, a composition shaft having outwardly extending arms at one end, a

metallic shield covering said shaft; a character Supported by said shield, bearings for supporting the shielded shaft, means for imparting motion to said shaft, and illuminating means carried by said character.

2. In a sign, a letter pivoted whereby it can moved through'a limited arc of less than" 1 a shaft'for supporting the letter, illuminating means on said letter, electrical conductors'for supplying electrical current to said illuminating means, a spark gap across the circuit formed by said conductors whereby the illuminating means is protected from damage due to overload and the like, and means for imparting motion to said shaft whereby the letter is moved.

3. In an advertising device, a character adapted to move about a pivot, a shaft pivoted to the character, neon illuminating means carried by said character, a circuit for supplying electrical energy to said illuminating means, a spark gap across the said circuit,and means for imparting motion to said shaft.

4. In an advertising device, a composition shaft having outwardly extending arms at one end, a I

character, illuminating means carried by said FRANK J. CARGILL. 

